Mains

With Valentine’s day quickly approaching, I want to share a delicious, decadent recipe that is perfect for special occasions! We’re making a Parmesan risotto with caramelized balsamic vegetables and it is seriously swoon-worthy. Whether you are spending V-day with your girlfriends, your family or your significant other, this risotto is the perfect meal. Pair it with a nice glass of wine, some candles, and good company and you’re set!

A lot of people are intimidated by risotto because it seems super fancy and has a bit of a bad reputation (in terms of the actual cooking part). Risotto definitely takes a good 30 minutes of TLC and requires your full attention but it is not hard to make by any means! I promise – you can do this!

We’ve been eating a ton of delicious oven-roasted red onions + carrots lately, so that’s what I chose for this specific recipe but the sky is seriously the limit. I have a delicious recipe for a butternut squash risotto on my site but I also love doing a mushroom + thyme version and a roasted cherry tomato + corn version.

What I love about the veggies that get added to this risotto is that they get SO caramelized and delicious you won’t even believe it. The trick is roasting them in the oven at a high temperature (425 degrees F) and flipping them in the middle of the cooking process. The balsamic drizzle really takes the crispy, caramelized veggies over the top and you will seriously die at the depth of flavor. Another key to this recipe is the whipped cream. I know it might sound crazy, but it is definitely necessary! I got the idea from Thomas Keller who calls for it in his risotto recipe and let me tell you – the man is a genius! It really adds another level of richness to the dish and it’s absolutely worth the extra calories!

As a recap: if you’re just starting to date someone or if you just want to make an unforgettable meal on Valentine’s Day, MAKE THIS RISOTTO. Your loved ones will seriously think you’re Martha Stewart and they will legitimately worship the ground you walk on. I hope you enjoy this recipe and happy early Valentine’s Day!

Place the onion wedges and carrot pieces on a sheet pan and toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 20-25 minutes until caramelized, turning once with a spatula halfway through the cooking process.

In a small bowl, whip the cream until it forms firm peaks and is the consistency of whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate.

Pour the chicken stock in a pot and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to the lowest setting. Make sure to keep the heat on - you want the stock to stay warm during the cooking process.

In a large heavy-bottom pan or dutch oven, heat the butter and the olive oil over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until soft, making sure they don't brown.

Add the arborio rice and cook for about 3 minutes with the garlic and shallot mixture.

Pour in the wine and stir until the rice has fully absorbed the wine.

Ladle enough of the hot chicken stock into the risotto mixture to barely cover it and stir constantly until the rice has fully absorbed the liquid.

Repeat this process until all of the chicken stock has been used and the rice is cooked but is slightly al dente. Make sure to constantly stir the risotto. This will take about 30 minutes.

Add the grated parmesan and stir.

Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper and finally, vigorously stir in the reserved whipped cream until completely combined.

Serve the risotto immediately and top with the caramelized vegetables + a drizzle of the thick balsamic reduction. Serve immediately and enjoy.

This past weekend, one of my closest girlfriends, Rachel, invited me over to her gorgeous apartment in Berkeley to make brunch. It was my first time seeing her bright, airy space and I absolutely loved it! It has tall ceilings, tons of natural light, hardwood floors, gorgeous built-in shelving and an updated kitchen. Needless to say, I’ll be popping over for many more brunches in the future!

We wanted to make something easy but healthy for brunch and decided on a delicious frittata with turkey sausage, mushroom and caramelized onions. We topped it with a bright parsley and dill salad with lemon juice and EVOO. The herb salad was the perfect fresh touch to the frittata and really brought the dish to life! We paired our meal with some lemon ginger kombucha (my fav) and called it a day!

We made the frittata without any dairy (we used almond milk and didn’t add any cheese), but this dish would be delicious with whole milk or half and half subbed out for the almond milk. It would also be amazing topped with goat cheese or laced with a yummy cheddar. Something great about frittatas is that you can really make them your own. If mushrooms, caramelized onions or turkey sausage aren’t your thing, you can easily sub them out with whatever you want! I love the idea of a caramelized onion + butternut squash version this time of year, or a cherry tomato + zucchini version in the summer months. You can also switch up the herbs in the herb salad on top. Basil and mint would be delicious too!

I love this type of get-together with a friend. It’s so much fun to catch up over a homemade meal and it’s a nice departure from the typical night out at a bar or restaurant (but don’t get me wrong – love that kind of thing too!). I hope this inspires you plan a fun afternoon of cooking a simple meal with a friend!

In a medium skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of EVOO over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Allow the onions to cook until they begin to caramelize, about 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Once the onions are translucent and have begun to brown, remove them from the skillet and place on a plate to the side.

Add another Tbsp of EVOO and the sliced mushrooms to the pan. Stir to coat with the oil and then add 2 Tbsp of water. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened and absorbed the water. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and place on the plate with the cooked onions.

Add one final Tbsp of EVOO to the skillet and add the sausage, making sure to break it up into smaller pieces with your wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink and begins to brown. Remove the sausage from the pan and onto the plate with the cooked veggies.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, the almond milk and a pinch of salt and pepper until slightly frothy. Set aside.

Coat the bottom of a medium cast iron skillet with EVOO and heat over a medium high flame for 5 minutes. Add in the cooked veggies and sausage and spread into an even layer. Pour the egg mixture over the meat and veggies and then transfer to the oven.

Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the frittata is just set in the center.

FOR THE HERB SALAD: While the frittata is cooking, pick off the leaves of parsley and transfer to a medium bowl. Roughly chop the dill and add to the bowl.

Add the lemon juice and zest, a drizzle of EVOO and salt + pepper to taste. Toss the salad until the herbs are evenly coated with the dressing.

When the frittata comes out of the oven, allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Top it off with the fresh herb salad and enjoy!

Yep. You read the post title right…we’re making peppermint hot chocolate oatmeal today. This is not a drill.

I was looking for a holiday-inspired breakfast recipe that wasn’t too decadent but still was delicious and reminiscent of this time of year. As I was sipping out of my Starbucks red cup (duh) and looking through my pantry for inspiration, I came across my steel cut oats and it hit me! Why not combine one of the most delicious holiday drinks (peppermint hot cocoa) with one of the most cozy breakfast foods (oatmeal)?!

This recipe couldn’t be easier to put together and it’s the perfect festive breakfast to make on a weekend during the holiday season. I used quick-cooking whole grain steel cut oats, but you could use any type of oatmeal you have on hand. Just prepare your oatmeal according the the package instructions, mix in the peppermint extract, cacao powder and brown sugar and enjoy!

I keep seeing people posting things on social media along the lines of “wishing summer would never end,” or “I wish summer would last all year,” or “kill me, summer’s almost over.” Meanwhile, I’m over here like “byeee summer…I have pumpkin spice lattes to drink, cinnamon chai candles to light and slow-cooker soups to make!” In particular, this slow-cooker kale, white bean and sausage soup.

If you couldn’t tell already, I’m reaaaally into fall. It is hands down my favorite season of the entire year. Here in Los Angeles, we don’t quiiite get the weather that I associate with the season but I just love the changing of the leaves, the crispness in the air and of course, the comfort food that makes a comeback.

As some of you know, I work full time in the advertising industry which translates to long hours and gourmet weeknight dinners of scrambled eggs and avocado. Don’t get me wrong, I love eggs and avocado, but it can get old if you’re eating it basically every night of the week. I try to meal prep on Sundays for both my weeknight lunches and dinners, but sometimes, life happens and “meal prep Sunday” becomes “meal prep Monday night at 9pm because I got off of work late and there was a bad accident on the 405 that doubled my commute.” But have no fear, because slow-cooker meals are here and this particular recipe is the PERFECT easy meal that you can just throw in the slow cooker and forget about!
It starts with spicy chicken sausage that is browned for a few minutes on the stovetop then added the the slow cooker with a slew of other ingredients: canned diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, white beans, tomato paste, chicken broth and bay leaves. The mixture is cooked on low for a few hours and then the kale is added in the last 15-20 minutes. This makes for tender kale that doesn’t lose it’s beautiful green color by being cooked to death. After the kale is cooked, the soup is ready! You can either serve it up immediately with some charred bread (and wine, of course) OR allow it to cool completely and store it in your fridge for later in the week! It’s so delicious and it will become your go-to meal this season. I hope you enjoy!

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high flame. Remove the meat in your sausage from the casings and add to the skillet, making sure to break it up into bite-size pieces with your hands.

Allow the sausage to brown for about 5-7 minutes, making sure to stir every minute or so. You just want to brown the sausage, not cook it all the way through.

Looking for an easy, delicious breakfast that’s a retreat from the norm but also SO easy to put together? Look no further!

I went to the farmers market this weekend and I stocked up on more stone fruit than usual. I got seven peaches just for myself which sounded like a great idea at the time, but when I got home, I realized that I had waaaay too many for one person. I immediately thought about recipes I could make using peaches and that is how this recipe for vanilla honey caramelized peaches with yogurt was born!

These vanilla honey caramelized peaches are seriously delicious and come together in a matter of minutes! When you spoon them over yogurt and top them with toasted walnuts, you get the perfect summer breakfast that you’ll want to make over and over again.

The peaches are thinly sliced and simmered over medium-low heat with vanilla-infused honey. The peach slices sop up all of the delicious honey and vanilla flavors while getting caramelized and soft, almost like a peach pie filling. The peaches are then spooned over creamy, slightly tart Greek yogurt and are topped with a drizzle of the vanilla honey and a handful of toasted walnuts. I don’t know about you, but I’m drooling just thinking about it!

Something I also LOVE about this recipe is that it’s super versatile. You can easily swap out the ingredients and make it your own! Here are some ideas:

The FruitYou can swap out the peaches for plums, nectarines, figs, or really any soft fruit you have on hand. This would also be delicious with strawberries or blackberries!

The Nuts You can choose any toasted nut you love to top the dish off with! Pistachios, almonds, pine nuts are all great options but feel free to go crazy! You could even top this with your favorite granola.

The BaseI chose Greek yogurt as my base, but if Greek yogurt isn’t your thing, you can swap it out for a dairy free yogurt or any other type of plain yogurt. Something else you can do if you’re feeling really crazy is turn this into a dessert and swap out the yogurt for vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt…YUM!

MAKE THE VANILLA HONEY: In a small saucepan over low heat, add the honey and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

MAKE THE CARAMELIZED PEACH AND YOGURT DISH: Add 1 Tbsp of the vanilla honey you just made to a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the peach slices and allow to cook for about 3 minutes on each side.

While the peaches are caramelizing, add the yogurt to a bowl and set aside.

When the peaches are done cooking, transfer them to the bowl of yogurt and drizzle with a little bit of the reserved vanilla honey.

Alright friends, if you are looking for an easy and delicious weeknight dinner, look no further!

This orecchiette with salmon and roasted cherry tomatoes is what dreams are made of and I seriously mean that. I can’t make any guarantees, but you will probs have dreams about this dinner for months after you make it. It’s that good.

I am a huuge salmon fan. Like pretty obsessed with it actually. I often channel my inner Fiona from the movie A Cinderella Story {a classic}. For those who don’t know who/what that is, watch the movie immediately, but basically one of the characters in the movie goes on an extreme salmon-only diet and I fully support it.

Ok…back to dinner! This is a recipe I cooked one day after work and not only was it so delicious, but it was super easy to prepare and it made for a seriously bomb lunch the next couple of days. As I mentioned above, I have a love affair with salmon, so I’m constantly trying to find ways to incorporate it in meals and this dish is such a fun and unexpected one!

The cherry tomatoes are perfectly caramelized and pop in your mouth and the pieces of buttery salmon taste amazing with the fresh herbs, lemon and red pepper flakes. When you add the grated parm to the sauce, it takes it to the next level and makes for a luscious, flavorful sauce. This pasta dish is legitimately on another level and I could basically go on and on about it forever {clearly}.

You can make this for your family or you can do it like me and portion it out for a few day’s worth of meals at work!

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F and place a large oven-proof skillet in the oven while it preheats (I like using cast iron).

Lay the cherry tomatoes out on a sheet pan and toss with 2 Tbsp of the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until the tomatoes have popped and have begun to caramelize.

While the tomatoes cook, remove the pre-heated skillet from the oven and transfer to the stove over high heat. Pat the salmon fillets dry and season each side with salt and pepper. Brush the fillets with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil and transfer the salmon to the hot pan, flesh side down. Allow to cook on the flesh side for 2 minutes. Flip and immediately transfer to the oven to finish cooking for about 10 minutes {cooking time may vary based on the thickness of your salmon fillets}. Transfer the salmon to a plate and use two forks to flake the fish. Set aside.

Pour the orecchiette pasta into a large pot of salted boiling water and cook according to the package's instructions. Make sure to reserve ½ cup of the pasta water for the sauce.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat and throw in the garlic, shallot and red pepper flakes. Allow to cook until the shallot starts to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Carefully add the wine and allow the alcohol to cook off, about 2-3 minutes. Add the roasted cherry tomatoes and cooked pasta and stir to combine.

Spring has sprung and summer is upon us and all I’m craving for dinner these days is something fresh and light! Cue this zoodle dish that is laced with lemon garlic shrimp and sweet sungold tomatoes…you’re gonna die at how easy and delicious this is!
Ever since I got my vegetable spiralizer last year, I’ve looked for ways to incorporate vegetables noodles into my cooking. It’s a healthy way to enjoy “pasta” and although it definitely doesn’t taste like the real deal, it still gives you that same satisfaction of twirling noodles on a fork and enjoying those yummy pasta sauces.
But let’s get down to business and talk more about this zoodle dish! The shrimp is marinated in lemon juice and zest, garlic, olive oil and chili flakes and then baked in the oven to ensure a perfect, even cook {because nobody likes overcooked shrimp!}. The sauce is made with yummy flavors like white wine, more lemony goodness {duh}, garlic, red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese which just takes it to another level. The sungold tomatoes are cooked just until they pop and release their sweet juices into the sauce and they pair perfectly with the spiciness of the red pepper flakes. I can’t tell whether I’m writing a romantic novel or a blog post right now…you’re going to have to make this dish or take a cold shower to alleviate your hunger!

Add the shrimp and toss around to combine. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to marinate for about 15 minute {note - you do not want to marinate for any longer than this because the acid from the lemon juice will begin to cook the shrimp...we don't want to end up with ceviche here!}.

Remove the shrimp from the fridge and spread out on a large sheet pan, making sure to shake off the excess marinade.

Lightly drizzle the shrimp with a little EVOO and transfer to the oven to bake for 7-8 minutes.

When you remove the shrimp from the oven, transfer to a plate immediately to ensure you do not overcook the shrimp. Set aside.

FOR THE ZOODLES: Add the zucchini noodles to a pot of salted boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Drain completely and transfer to an ice bath immediately to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, remove the noodles from the ice bath and transfer to a large bowl or plate. Set aside.

FOR THE SAUCE: In a large pan over medium heat, cook the EVOO, garlic cloves and red pepper flakes for 3-4 minutes until fragrant.

Carefully add in the white wine and allow the alcohol to cook off, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and cover the pan, allowing the tomatoes to cook until they are just about to burst, about 4-5 minutes.

Uncover the pan, turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, lemon zest and parmesan cheese. Add in the cooked zucchini noodles and shrimp and use tongs to toss until combined.

Serve immediately and garnish with parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and a squeeze of lemon juice.

I am a huuuuge fan of meals I can make ahead on Sunday night for the upcoming work week and this slow cooker coconut chicken curry is seriously on point! It’s been a little bit gloomy in LA this days, so I’ve been craving something cozy and comforting {AKA this curry}!

This chicken curry is so flavorful and takes only a few minutes to put together PLUS the slow cooker does the majority of the work which is amazing! Something else I love about it is that it’s super healthy. It uses coconut oil rather than the butter you often see in curry dishes PLUS it’s laced with my favorite anti-inflammatory ingredient these days: turmeric!

I hope you make this recipe ASAP! Trust me, you will absolutely love it!

I’ve mentioned this before, but breakfast is seriously my jam {pun intended}. I’m a morning person, so I love waking up, making a nice cup of coffee and enjoying a yummy breakfast to start my day. It’s definitely my happy place. This sausage rosemary breakfast pizza is the perfect addition to any breakfast table and is also a perfect excuse for breakfast for dinner!

This breakfast pizza starts off with a garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil and a layer of very thinly sliced yukon gold potatoes topped with sprigs of fresh rosemary. We could probably just finish there and be left with an amazing meal, but why stop a good thing, right?!

The pizza is dotted with rich breakfast sausage and pieces of fresh, creamy mozzarella cheese. The sausage comes out of the oven super crispy and the mozzarella comes out bubbly and gooey. I mean…come on!

In the last few minutes of baking, the pizza is topped with a freshly cracked egg that’s cooked until it has just started to set. Cue the runny yolk…

Whenever I order breakfast pizzas at restaurants, I’m always so impressed with the runny egg on top…it just looks so fancy but it is so easy to do in your own kitchen! Plus, it’s a total crowd pleaser.

I hope you make this for your next breakfast or brunch gathering – it’s guaranteed to impress your friends and family!

PREPARE THE PIZZA DOUGH: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add the warm water and olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together. It will seem shaggy and dry but that's normal!

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes. The dough should quickly start to come together and start to get sticky - dust with flour as needed. The dough will be slightly tacky but not sticking to your hands or the surface.

Transfer the dough ball to a large bowl coated in a drizzle of olive oil and cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour in a warm, dry area of your kitchen for 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

MAKE THE GARLIC-INFUSED OLIVE OIL: Smash two whole garlic cloves to release the garlic flavor and add to the extra virgin olive oil in a medium skillet. Heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium-low heat and cook the oil with the garlic cloves, stirring every couple of minutes. If your garlic starts to brown, turn the heat to low. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the garlic cloves. Pour the oil in a bowl and set aside.

PREPARE THE PIZZA: Place a pizza stone in your oven and preheat the oven to 550 degrees F, or as high as your oven can go. If you don't have a pizza stone, you can stick a large sheet pan in the oven as it is pre-heating. The idea is to have the surface of whatever you are cooking your pizza on to be piping hot!

Either cut the pizza dough in half {the recipe makes two 10-12 inch pizzas} or make one large pie {I just made one large pizza in this case}.

Stretch out the dough by hand or roll out on a floured surface. If you are baking one large pie, you want the stretched out dough to be 20 inches in diameter. Regarding thickness, the crust can be a bit thicker, but you want the middle of the pie to be as thin as possible.

Drizzle the dough with the garlic-infused olive oil.

Arrange the potato coins in a single layer on top of the pizza. Sprinkle with the rosemary, red pepper flakes and salt.

Break out the breakfast sausage into small pieces and dot the top of the pizza with the breakfast sausage and mozzarella pieces.

Place the pizza on the pizza stone and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the dough is cooked through and the toppings begin to get bubbly.

Remove the pizza from the oven and crack the egg in the center of it.

Put the pizza back in the oven and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until the egg white has just set but the yolk is still runny.

Ok, so here’s the low-down for all of you puffed pancake or “Dutch baby” first-timers. Puffed pancakes are essentially a hybrid of a souffle and a pancake. They are deliciously fluffy and light and you will be obsessed.

This breakfast bring me back to my childhood – I have a lot of memories cooking and baking in the kitchen with my family and for one of my birthdays when I was in elementary school, my parents got me a huuuge Disney family cookbook. I about died. I immediately started dog-earing and bookmarking the recipes that I just needed to try {I ended up marking every recipe in the book} but one recipe really stood out to me. You guessed it – the puffed pancake recipe!

I have always had an affinity {more like obsession} toward breakfast foods and when my eyes fell on the photo of the deliciously fluffy dutch baby in that Disney cookbook, it was over. I’m pretty sure we made that puffed pancake recipe every weekend for half the year…

Sadly, the puffed-pancake-making phase eventually died out, but a few years ago, my mom started making them for our family on Christmas morning. It brings back so many childhood memories and it is just the most delicious breakfast treat!

My version has lemon zest in the batter, is topped with a dusting of powdered sugar, and is served alongside a blackberry puree…I mean, come on! You need to make it ASAP. It is guaranteed to impress and everyone will want a second helping, so prepare accordingly!

I’ve honestly always been pretty intimidated by homemade pizza dough – it’s just a process that seems so time intensive and unnecessary, especially when I can walk over to Trader Joe’s to grab some of the pre-made stuff.

Buuuut I made this pizza dough and it was seriously CAKE. It took maaaaybe 5 minutes to mix together {no fancy equipment required} and the only “hard” part was having to let it rise for an hour before using it. You guys can totally do this!

I decided to go with a green pizza because it sounds healthy, right? Like “hey guys I’m going to go eat my green pizza!” Sounds like a new trend in the healthy world…? Well too bad this pizza isn’t necessarily healthy but I’m telling ya, it’s well worth it!

I started off this “green pizza” with a spring-inspire pesto. It was filled with fresh mint AND basil, so it has that familiar basil pesto taste but with a fresh minty kick! I could honestly just spoon feed it to myself on its own.

I topped the pizza with ooey gooey creamy burrata cheese, crispy pancetta and fresh peas and let me tell you – I could hear angels singing. The salty pancetta was the perfect compliment to the sweet peas and creamy burrata and the mint basil pesto added the perfect fresh, garlicky flavor to the pie. Such an amazing combo and so easy to put together!

PREPARE THE PIZZA DOUGH: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add the warm water and olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough begins to come together. It will seem shaggy and dry but that's normal!

Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes. The dough should quickly start to come together and start to get sticky - dust with flour as needed. The dough will be slightly tacky but not sticking to your hands or the surface.

Transfer the dough ball to a large bowl coated in a drizzle of olive oil and cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour in a warm, dry area of your kitchen for 2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

MAKE THE PESTO: In a food processor, add all of the ingredients for the pesto except for the olive oil and cheese. Pulse in the food processor until all of the ingredients are finely minced and start to take on the consistency of a pesto. Slowly add the olive oil and pulse until fully combined. Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and stir in the cheese. Set aside.

COOK THE TOPPINGS: For the pancetta, heat a medium skillet over medium high heat and add the pancetta bits. Cook for about 7 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

For the peas, bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the frozen peas. Allow to blanch for 2 minutes and then drain. Run cold water over the peas to stop the cooking process and then set aside.

PREPARE THE PIZZA: Place a pizza stone in your oven and preheat the oven to 550 degrees F, or as high as your oven can go. If you don't have a pizza stone, you can stick a large sheet pan in the oven as it is pre-heating. The idea is to have the surface of whatever you are cooking your pizza on to be piping hot!

Cut your pizza dough in half {the recipe makes two 10-12 inch pizzas} and stretch by hand or roll out each of the pieces of dough on a floured surface. You want the stretched out dough to be 10-12 inches in diameter. Regarding thickness, the crust can be a bit thicker, but you want the middle of the pie to be as thin as possible.

Spread the pesto on top of the pizzas, leaving about an inch around the edges for the crust. Dot the pizzas with the pieces of burrata. Sprinkle the pizzas with the pancetta and ¼ cup of the frozen peas each. Transfer the first pizza to the hot pizza stone or sheet pan. If you went the sheet pan route, make sure to line the pan with a piece of parchment paper before you transfer the pizza onto it.

Cook for 7-10 minutes at 550 degrees or until the dough is cooked through and the toppings begin to get bubbly. Turn on the broiler to high and cook the pizza for an additional 1-2 minutes until the crust is nice and golden brown. Remove and top with an additional ¼ cup of peas and torn mint and basil leaves. Repeat the cooking process with the second pizza and enjoy!

I’m pretty much addicted to granola. It’s one of those things where once you start eating it, you really can’t stop but you justify it because it’s “healthy.” But then you look at the nutritional facts on the package and realize you just ate half of your daily calories in granola…not that I’ve done that or anything.

I think the first recipe I ever made up on my own was my granola recipe and I remember feeling so proud of myself. It was pretty cool to say that I had developed a recipe on my own {even if it is something as simple as granola}.

One of my favorite granola memories {yes, I have granola memories} was when I made this recipe for my 22nd birthday party last year. I had a bunch of friends over for a big brunch and I ended up giving the granola to my friends as a little party favor. I packaged the granola in cellophane bags with cute twine and personalized cards and they were a huuuge hit!

This recipe is so easy, healthy, inexpensive and honestly super customizable. Feel free to sub in or add any of your favorite nuts, dried fruit or seeds {or chocolate or sprinkles…this is a no judgement zone}.

There are obviously never-ending options when it comes to ways you can eat this granola, but you can…

Layer it in a fancy little yogurt parfait {that’s what I did this time!}

I was thinking of going all Mario Batali on you guys and making my own gnocchi but it was a Monday night after a long day of work and let’s be real…ain’t nobody got time for that.

So I did what I had to do – I went to my local grocery store and picked up some store-bought gnocchi. No shame.

If you’re not a beet or mushroom fan, you can definitely substitute other vegetables of your choice! Some other ideas are roasted butternut squash and roasted sweet potatoes but this dish would honestly taste just as amazing with just the browned butter sauce and the goat cheese.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Cut the beets into thin slivers and arrange on a large baking sheet, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Toss the beet slices with 2 Tbsp of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until the beets are caramelized.

While the beets are cooking, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 1 Tbsp of the unsalted butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and pepper and saute for 3-5 minutes until the mushrooms are golden brown. Set aside.

In a large pan, heat the remaining 7 Tbsp of butter and the sage leaves over medium high heat. As the butter gets hot, it will start to make crackling noises and after about 5 minutes, the butter will begin to foam. Once this happens, make sure to watch the butter closely. This is when the browning will start to happen. Allow the butter to brown to a nice golden color and then immediately remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl.

Once the pasta water reaches a boil, salt it generously and add the gnocchi. Allow the gnocchi to cook until it rises to the surface of the water and then drain.

Pour the cooked gnocchi to the large pan that you cooked the brown butter sauce in. Add the browned butter/sage sauce, beets, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes and give the gnocchi mixture a stir.

Divide amongst 4 plates and top with crumbled goat cheese and a little extra drizzle of the browned butter sauce.

3.5.3208

Here are links to some of the products I used in this post. Just click the photos to be taken to the product pages!

I go through phases where I get obsessed with certain foods and cooking techniques. I had a phase where I legit used my slow cooker for everything and I just got over my obsession with chinese chicken salads {I’ll share my recipe on the blog soon!}. Currently, I’m head-over-heals for cauliflower rice.

Don’t get me wrong – it tastes nothing like rice, but it is a healthier alternative and it’s so much fun to cook with!

This cauliflower rice bowl is so so so delicious and easy to put together! It is full of fresh herbs, peppery arugula, toasted pine nuts and a citrus dressing…you’re going to love it! I love to make it on Sundays and portion it out for my work week lunches!

YUM. That is all I have to saw about this spicy sweet potato hash.JK that’s not all I have to saw about this hash lolz. There’s actually a lot more I have to say, so buckle up!

I’ve been craving a cozy, delicious breakfast for a while and when I got my new cast iron skillet last week, I knew it was a sign that I had to make a comforting sweet potato hash!

The turkey sausage adds an amazing spiciness to the dish and the roasted sweet potatoes + caramelized red onions balance out the dish with some sweetness. It is seriously an amazingggg dish and it gets bonus points for also being healthy!What I’m trying to tell you is that you basically need to make this dish ASAP. It’s perfect for dinner, breakfast, brunch, lunch, etc.!

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat and toss in the red onion slices. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Stir the onions to coat with the oil and allow to cook for a total of 30 minutes, stirring and scraping the brown bits every 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

Roast the sweet potatoes...

Spread out the sweet potato and garlic on a large sheet pan, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Place in the oven to roast.

After 15 minutes, flip the sweet potatoes with a spatula to ensure all sides get caramelized and put back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes until browned and crispy.

Cook the sausage...

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and throw in the sausage, breaking it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon.

Cook the sausage until almost fully cooked through, stirring occasionally.This will take about 7 minutes.

Drain off the excess liquid from the pan and then return the pan to the stovetop. Turn the heat up to high to finish the cooking process and cook sausage until nicely browned. Set aside.

Assemble the hash...

In a large cast iron skillet or oven-proof pan, combine the caramelized onions, roasted sweet potatoes and sausage.

With the back of a wooden spoon, create 4 little wells for the eggs.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl, one at a time, and pour them each into the wells.

Place the pan into the oven (still at 425° F) and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking.